Kruje and Tirane Albania
The Panorama cruised throughout the night in very calm seas, making her way towards our morning destination of Durres, the largest and busiest port of Albania. Just before breakfast our captain brought the Panorama into the main dock where she would remain throughout the day. This would serve as our closest point to explore two very important cities located inland from the coast. We would be visiting both the old and current capitols of Albania.
After breakfast we departed by bus for a drive of approximately one hour heading toward the mountain range that runs along the center of the country of Albania. We were headed to Kruje, the old capitol of Albania. Kruje is situated in a spectacular setting beneath the country’s central limestone escarpment, and is home to two small and excellent museums. In fact, one of our local guides referred to Kruje as the Mecca of Albania, as nearly every Albanian resident makes a journey to see this old historical town, including visits to these two museums.
Once we made our way up and into Kruje a short walk through town brought us to the first of our museum visits; the Ethnographic Museum, centered in an 18th century house, including everything that would be used in daily life during that era in Albania. Our second visit was to Skanderbeg Museum where we learned about George Katrioti (known as Skanderbeg), the most important national hero of Albania.
Both museums were situated on top of one of the highest hills in Kruje and from this vantage point our free time was spent walking down the narrow central street and exploring the town’s medieval bazaar. Many, many shops lined both sides of the narrow, roughly cobbled street where we found traditional handicrafts, including bronze olive oil lamps, antique jewelry, gypsy wine casks, finely made filigree jewelry, traditional Albanian costumes, and all kinds of souvenirs both lovely and kitschy! While many of our group shopped, others spent their time capturing wonderful images of this unique and historical town and its residents.
All too soon it was time to make our way back to our waiting busses for a journey heading toward the new and current capitol city of Albania, Tirane. The city has grown tremendously in the past few years, and the city planning and road building have not kept pace with the influx of people. The inner city centers around Skanderbeg Square (currently under reconstruction into a pedestrian area), the nearby former Communist Party Headquarters, late 18th century Et’hem Bey Mosque and the National Museum. Making our way through the somewhat heavy traffic, our busses circled around the central square and turned a short distance, heading for our lunch destination.
The Sarajet Restaurant is one of the oldest and most well-known in the city. A buffet of Albanian specialties, excellent wines and beer were offered to accompany our lunch, a nice respite from the heat outside. Following lunch, the “Eagles” dance group made their way into our area of the restaurant for a traditional dance and music performance. During several songs the dancers began weaving throughout our lunch tables, inviting us to join in and learn a customary circle dance of friendship. Our time in Albania had been short, but throughout these two days a constant theme kept reoccurring: hospitality and friendship are two characteristics deeply woven into the people of the Dalmatian Coast and the Balkan Peninsula. Albania has shown this gift again and again, from ladies running ice cream carts, to flower vendors in the street to the faces of young children who always waved and smiled, faces lit with innocence and heartfelt enthusiasm.
